The Belgian gave absolutely no chance to his opponents, winning by a clear margin.
Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team had a day to remember in Waregem, where this year’s Belgian U23 Time Trial National Championships took place. Jonathan Vervenne conquered the gold medal, while teammate Gil Gelders made it two Wolfpack riders in the top 5, after finishing fourth, just a handful of seconds from the podium.
Truth being told, Jonathan’s victory didn’t come as a surprise at all, considering the 19-year-old’s prowess against the clock and his most recent victories in the discipline, scored last month. Averaging a remarkable 49.34km/h, the young Belgian produced a fantastic effort and put almost one minute into Robin Orins (Lotto Dstny Development Team) and Victor Vercouille (EFC-L&R-Van Mossel), who completed the podium of Monday’s 23km race, held over a pan-flat course.
“I did a lot of training in the time trial and I am happy it paid off today. My recent wins in Almere and Poperinge gave me a lot of confidence, after those results I knew I had it in me. I paced myself perfectly out there, remained calm and focused at all times, and now I am incredibly proud with this win and the jersey. It’s a day I will never forget, and I want to thank the entire team for their help”, an elated Jonathan said after his fifth victory of the season.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
